Garment-fastener.



C. D. SMITH.

GARMENT FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 190a.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Cutout,

290mm 6*? i I guide ti s.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES n. snrrn, or Mom; AN'r'owN,\\a1cs'r vuu nnni, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro MICHAEL o. WEBB, or numnoan, MARYLAND.

eARMEN'r-FAs'rENEn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed J'une'S. 1968. Serial No. 436,948.

To GZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morgantown, ii the county of Monongalia and State of \Vest Virginia, have invented new anduseful Im rovenients in Garment-Fastene'rs, of whic 1 the followingis a specification. g

This invention relates to closures and fasteners for the meeting edges of garments, such as corsets, gloves, leggings, shoes and other like articles of that. character having portions adapted to be fastened together to close or secure the device about the part of the person to which it is to be applied.

The object of the invention is to provide a closure and fastener of that type embodying a tongue or strip to engage and close the space between the meeting edges, and to provide a means whereby the tongue may be quickly applied and removed so that the garment may be ractically instantaneously fastened and un astened.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a shoe upper showing the application of the invention to close the opening in the front of the up er. Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 22 of ig. 1. Fi 3 is a longitudinal section on line 33 of ig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front view of the tongue or closure stri Fig. 5 is a erspective view of one of t e ig. 6 is a similar view of one of the gui e tubes. Fig. 7 is an inner side view of one of the caps of the handle.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 designate the meeting edges of a garment, such, for instance, as the divided portion of the u per 3 of a shoe. The marginal portions of t ese edges are inturned to form reinforcing pockets or folds receiving the heads of a series of rivets or fastening devices 5. The series of rivets or fastening devices upon each meeting edge carry a series of guide tubes 6, which are suitably s aced a art to prevent impairment of. the flexi ility of the material of the garment to an objectionable degree. The outer side of each guide tube is formed with a longitudinal slot 7 and the'edges 8 thereof are turned outwardly to impart a flaring formation to said slot.

The space between the mectingcdges is adapted to be closed by a covering strip or tongue 10, made of'any suitable flexible inate'rial. The lon itudinal side edges of this tongue are rollm to form guides 11 to slidably engage the opposite series of guide tubes upon the meeting edges 1 and 2, the lower ends of said rollcd edges terminating above nally,- so that in the process of drawing it downward through the guides the meeting edges will be gradually drawn together and the tongue retained securely in osition through the frictional engagement etween said rolled edges and the guide tubes. It will be understood that the rolled edges are of proper diameter to snugly, yet easily fit saic tube, and that the slots 7 in the tube permit of the passage of the strip from one set of tubes to the other.

The upper ends of the rolled or beaded edges 2 are provided with guide tips or caps 14, the lower ends of which are tubular in form to receive and fit over the upper ends of the beads and are fastened thereto by ins or other suitable securing devices 15. he upper ends of the tips or ca s are of conical form as indicated at 16, an from the body of each tip or cap projects a slotted lateral extension 17, which receives and engages the adjacent portion of the upper edge of the tongue to add to the security of the connection. The sides of this slotted or bifurcated connection are formed with registering openings 18 which coincide with corresponding openings in the material of which the tongue is made.

It will be seen from the fore oing description that by simply fitting the ower ends of. the guide heads into the upper guide tubes and drawing the tongue downward through the medium of the tabs 12, the beads will slide through the guides and thus the tongue may be brought mto position to cover the space or opening between the meeting edges 1 and 2 .and to draw said meeting edges together, the construction and arrangement of the guide tubes and parts insuring ample flexibility of the garment in use. The tongue is designed to be removed by an upward sliding movement, so that the meeting edges may be connected or disconnected in a practically instantaneous manner.

In order to facilitate the removal of the tongue, a handle or detachable removing device therefor is provided. This device comprises a pair of members 19 in the form of tubes or caps adapted to enga e the u per conical ends of the tips. PI'OJGCtlIl rom these tubes or caps are rigid arms 20 aving hooked ends 21 to engage the openings 18 in the parts 17, the two arms being connected b a loop handle or gri 22, preferably made of some suitable flexible material, so that the handle when detached from the tongue may be conveniently collapsed in close co1npass and carried in the pocket. When it is desired to detach'the ton ue, the hooks of the arms are enga ed Wit the openings in the extensions of t e tips and the tubes or retaining devices 19 fitted in position upon the ends of the tips, by which the arms are held in place, and then the handle or glrip 22 is grasped and an up pull exerted, w ereby the tongue may be drawn upwardly, its beaded edges 11 sliding in the guide tubes, so that it may be removed in a convenient and expeditious manner.

Havm thus fully described the invention, What is c aimed as new is:

1. A detachable handle for tongues of the character described, comprising a pair of socketed retaining devices, engaging devices projectin therefrom and having hooked free ends, an a cord or like flexible connection between the said sets of devices.

2. A detachable handle for tongues of the character described, comprising a pair of retaining devices having engaging members projecting therefrom, and a flexible connection between said retaining devices.

3. A detachable handle for tongues of the character described, comprising socketed retaining devices having hooked engaging members projecting therefrom, and a flexible connection between said devices.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDWARD FINILFF, J. W. WOLF. 

